JPH03290757A - Picture input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently output required information and to enable shared control by processing symbols attached to the character arranging part of an original such as a name card or the like as various information, storing the classified information and outputting the required information to an external output means. CONSTITUTION:The various information of the character string part drawn on an original 3 to be inputted from a CCD sensor 19 is inputted through an A/D converter 20 to a bus 21. To this bus 21, a program ROM 22 of an OCR for reading is linked to read the various symbols applied to the respective character arrangements of the data such as the name card or the like, a RAM 23 is linked to store the information of the character string part for each symbol, and a CPU 25 is linked to execute the input control of the information data to the RAM 23 based on the program of the program ROM 22 and to control the output of the inputted various information through an interface circuit 24 to an external output means 26. Thus, the required information is efficiently outputted to the external output means 26 and those information is shared.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a character recognition technology such as an image scanner configured to input an image drawn on a small document such as a business card, and particularly relates to a character recognition technology for inputting an image drawn on a small document such as a business card. The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus including a storage means for storing a character arrangement section of an image with a symbol attached thereto.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, the following methods have been used to organize information written on business cards.

Namely, ■ A method of organizing and storing names, company names, etc. in alphabetical order so that they can be easily retrieved in a business card holder (file), business card storage case, etc.

■Write down the name, contact information, job title, phone number, etc. written on the business card in a notebook or the like as necessary, or enter it into an input method such as an electronic notebook.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, such conventional methods have the following problems.

In the case of method (■) above, in addition to increasing the storage space, it is difficult to share information, and business cards, for example,
It is difficult to search because each company has different formats, such as vertical and horizontal writing.

In addition, in the case of method (■) above, all of them require manual input, which takes time and effort, and both notebooks and electronic notebooks are personal courses and are mainly intended for personal management. In this case as well, it is difficult to share information.

This invention was made in order to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide an image input device that is used as a peripheral device for personal computers such as personal computers and word processors, and is widely used to read business cards, etc. Using special OCR software, various types of information such as the name, company, and place name written on the business card are categorized, organized, and stored, and the various stored information can be stored on a computer, word processor, etc. as necessary. To provide an image processing device that outputs information in an organized state and can efficiently organize information written on cards such as business cards.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, an image processing device according to the present invention includes a light source arranged to illuminate an image drawn on a small document such as a business card, A sensor unit that converts reflected light emitted from a light source onto an image of a document into an electrical signal, and a personal computer that converts the image signal input to the sensor unit.

In an image processing apparatus having an interface circuit for outputting to an external output means such as a word processor, information is provided for attaching symbols to each of the character array portions of the document and processing the character array portions with those symbols as various information. A processing means, a storage means for storing information classified by the information processing means, and various information stored in the storage means from an external output means connected to the interface circuit, The image processing apparatus is characterized in that it includes an image processing circuit having a control means for controlling the output of specific information when there is a request to output the specific information.

(Operation) According to the device of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, an information processing means (OCR software for business cards) that processes symbols added to the character arrangement part of a document such as a business card as various information is used, and the information processing means is used to classify the symbols into types. For example, if the address 9 By simply adding symbols such as ○, ×, and Δ to the character array corresponding to names, telephone numbers, etc., the necessary information can be efficiently output using external output means, and this information can be shared. can be managed.

(Description of Embodiment) Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention apparatus will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image input device used in this invention device, FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram showing the basic circuit configuration of this invention device. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of OCR software used in this invention device, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing symbols attached to business cards when using this invention device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image input device A according to the present invention includes a paper feeder 2 provided at the rear end of the device main body 1, and a document insertion port 4 opened at the bottom of the front side of the paper feeder 2. It is configured so that a small document 3 such as a business card can be inserted.

A document input section 5 is provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1, and
The document placement section 6 of the input section 5 is formed of a flat surface, and a guide section 7 is disposed on the surface for guiding the document 3 toward the document insertion slot 4 having a business card width l. has been done.

Reference numeral 9 in the figure is a volume for adjusting shading.

As shown in FIG. 2, the internal structure of the paper feeder 2 and the apparatus main body 1 includes a rotary encoder 11 that detects the original 3 inserted from the original insertion slot 4 and outputs a control signal, and a light source that detects the original 3 inserted from the original insertion slot 4. A roller 13 carries the document 3 to the irradiation position of a certain LED array 12 and carries it out to the exit 14, and inputs the reflected light of the light irradiated from the LED array 12 to the document 3 into the CCD sensor 19. and an optical system 15.

Although not shown, a pair of rollers 13 are provided above and below, and an optical system 15 forms an image of the reflected light on a CCD sensor 19 using a reflecting mirror 17 and a condensing lens 18. It is configured as follows.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of the image processing circuit B according to the apparatus of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in the image processing circuit B, the document 3 shown in FIG.
It is configured to input various information of the character string portions a to d drawn in to a bus 21 via an A/D converter 20 that performs A/D conversion.

” 1 bus 21 contains each character array part a of business card data.
A reading OCR program ROM that reads various symbols added to f and processes information for each symbol.
22, a RAM 23 for storing information on the character string parts a to f for each symbol drawn on the business card, and the above program ROM.
A CPU 25 is connected to the CPU 25, which controls the input of information data to the RAM 23 based on the program number 22, and controls the output of various types of inputted information from the RAM 23 to external output means via an interface circuit 24.

The interface circuit 24 is connected to an external output means 26 such as a personal computer or a word processor.

It is configured to include a program ROM 26a in which programs for creating name, telephone, address books, etc. are written, an output device 26b such as a printer or CRT, and a storage means 26c such as a storage disk or tape.

That is, when a command is given, for example, to create an address book using a keyboard (not shown) of the external output means 26, the CPU in the external output means 26 issues a command to search the address book to the CPU 25 via the interface circuit 24 of the image processing circuit B. , the CPU 25 outputs and controls the data information of the address book from among various information input to the RAM 23 and outputs it to the interface circuit means 25.

Then, the program ROM2 in the external output means 26
Control is performed by the CPU in the external output means 26 based on the address book program software 6a, and the address book is sequentially recorded and organized in the storage means 26c according to the program, and output to an output device 25 such as a printer or CRT.
It is configured to be output from b.

As shown in FIG. 4, the symbols added to the manuscript 3 are, for example, ○ and × at the end of character string parts a to f.

Δ2. Symbols such as ※, ◎, . . . are attached, and various information data indicated by these symbols is inputted by one CCD sensor for each symbol, and the CP is processed according to the program in the program ROM 22.
With U25 flagging the various information data, R
It is designed to be input to AM23.

In this example, simple symbols ○, ×, and △ are used.

*, ◎, · are explained here, but they are not limited to these. For example, anything that can be easily labeled as odd to give it a meaning, and that can be shared and separated by anyone. Good.

Next, the operation of the inventive device in this embodiment will be explained based on the flowchart of FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 4, when each of the above symbols is written on the original 3 to give it a meaning, and the original 3 with each of these symbols ○~・written is inserted from the original insertion slot 4 of the image input device A. It is in the starting state.

Then, the original 3 is held between the pair of rollers 1B and 13, and when the original 3 is conveyed to the irradiation position of the LED array 12, the character string parts a-f of the image of the original 3 are attached. The CCD sensor 19 starts reading each symbol ○ to . (Step 100) Furthermore, in step 101, the image information data of symbols ○ to ・ of the character string part af read in step]00 is converted into an electric signal of character data by the A/D converter 20. input to the replacement bus 21.

Next, in step 102, the CPU 25 extracts the information data input to the bus 21, and stores it in the program ROM 22.
The character data is flagged and given meaning according to the program, and then stored in the RAM 23.

Furthermore, in step 103, the CPU 25 searches whether or not flags have been set for all symbols.
In the case of o, the character data is given meaning again, and when it is completed and YES is determined, the process becomes END.

As described above, according to the inventive device of this embodiment, ○, ×,
By simply adding a symbol such as Δ, necessary information can be efficiently outputted by the external output means 26, and the information can be shared and managed.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the configuration described above, according to the device of the present invention, an information processing means (OCR for business cards) that processes symbols attached to the character arrangement part of a document such as a business card as various information
The information classified by the information processing means is stored in the storage means, and the information required for the output control of the control means can be outputted to the external output means via the interface circuit. Because it is configured in the address.

For example, enter ○ in the character arrangement section corresponding to the name, telephone number, etc.
, ×, Δ, etc. to give meaning.
Necessary information can be efficiently output to external output means, and this information can be shared and managed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image input device used in this inventive device, FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram showing the basic circuit configuration of this inventive device, and FIG. The figure is a flowchart of the OCR software used in this invented device.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing examples of symbols attached to business cards when using the device of the present invention. A... Image input device B... Image processing circuit 3... Original 12... LED array (light source) 19... CCD sensor 22... Program ROM 23... RAM (storage means) 24 ...Interface circuit 25...CPU patent dispatch hole

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light source arranged to illuminate an image drawn on a small original such as a business card, and converting the reflected light that is irradiated from the light source onto the image of the original into an electrical signal. In an image processing apparatus having a sensor section for outputting image signals input to the sensor section and an interface circuit for outputting image signals inputted to the sensor section to an external output means such as a personal computer or a word processor, each character arrangement section of the document is marked with a symbol. an information processing means for processing the character arrangement section marked with the symbol as various information; a storage means for storing the information classified by the information processing means; and a storage means connected to the above interface circuit. When there is a request from the external output means to output certain specific information among the various information stored in the storage means, the image processing circuit is equipped with a control means for controlling the output of the specific information; Characteristic image processing device.